The charging rhinoceros

795: 

When things begin to get out of hand for the vegan activist, when we go into the discomfort zone and the omnivore’s un-interest is made obvious, that’s when we’re liable to make our worst mistakes. Just before blowing our top, at some silly or provocative remark, we should let it sink in. We should use it, to tell us roughly where that person is coming from.

            In most cases I’ll jump in too quickly to defend animals. I’m reckoning that a small show of anger will help stimulate my adrenalin and prime me for a smart response. But it’s seen merely as a cheap shot. I know I shouldn’t go in for that sort of knee-jerk reaction? If I were more constructive I’d do it another way, to show I’m more emotionally under control. Nothing’s gained by aiming my remarks personally. I’m supposed to be trying to be helpful and well intentioned. Any anger I show would be seen clearly as part of my ‘act’.

            In a school I worked in once, I had a colleague who was always acting as if angry, and yet she was the most loved teacher amongst the kids. She was always honest, consistent and trusted. You knew where you stood with her ... and her anger was measured carefully, to be effective, to show her real sense of caring for her students’ welfare. She was a brilliant teacher, needless to say. It was all part of her craft of being the good communicator. Mind you, you can get away with that, with kids, less so with adults.

            A poor communicator uses anger but doesn’t know how to control it. It erupts faster than we see it coming - it’s supposed to have a shock effect. But it makes people wary and suspicious. If we feel that sort of knee-jerk anger arising, then it’s best to conceal it.

            If we are an animal advocate, we’ve usually got enough on our hands just getting a chance to speak at all about animal issues. The last thing we need is to show anger. Ours is a highly charged subject at the best of times and, once out, anger is hard to retract. It sours the atmosphere. It’s a give-away when it appears. The voice screeches and the body language looks ugly. To the onlooker it’s like watching a rhinoceros about to charge.